Think about the cultural diversity you see in your colleagues at school, in your neighborhood, in your workplace, and also, possibly, within your family. Consider all the aspects that make up culture, including race, religion, political affiliation, sexual orientation, varying abilities, and so on.

• Do you find yourself communicating differently with people from different groups and cultures?
• If yes, in what ways do you communicate differently?

I have worked in childcare for a long time, and throughout that period I have interacted with many people from different cultures. Every time I have a family come to the center where I work that speak another language or do not speak English well, I get a little nervous. I think this nervousness comes from lack of experience, and just not knowing how to interact with people who do not speak English. I know this is something terrible to do but I always talk a little slower. I also use more gestures, because I assume that if they can not understand what I am saying at least if I pair it with a gestures help them figure it out.

I had this child in my classroom last year that was from Russia, her father was fluent in English but the mother was not at all. The child spoke no English at all. I dreaded communicating with them everyday, because the mother usually picked up the child, and I had a hard time talking with her. My coworkers would make fun of me because my face always got bright red when talking to her. I could not understand her so I would try my best to interpret what she was saying, but it was very frustrating. Working in this field has defiantly given me more experience than most, but it still does not make me confident when communicating to individuals of a different group or culture. I hope that in the future as I gain more experience, I will become more comfortable.

-Anna